Winder.



H. D. COLMAN.

WINDER.

A'PPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, I91 I. 1 ,1 84,077. Patented May 23, 1916.

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WINDERI APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 191i. 1,184,077. Patented May23, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I3, 1911. 1,1 84,077. Patented May 23, 1916.

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WINDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTJ3-19H.

Patented May 23, 1916.

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WINDER- APPLICATION FILED SEPT-l3, 19H. 1 ,1 84,077. Patented May 23, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT-13,1911. 1 ,184,077. Patented May 23,1916.

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WINDER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-13,1911.

1 1 84,077. Patented May 23, 1916.

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WINDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.VI3, 1911.

Patented May 23, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT 13, I91 I.

Patented May 23, 1916.

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,WINDER.

APPLICAHON FILED SEPT-13,19l1.

1 ,1 84,077 Patented May 23, 1916.

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H. D. COLMAN.

WINDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-13.19I1.

Patented May 23, 1916.

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H. D. COLMAN.

WINDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, i911. 1 ,1 84,077 Patented May 23, 1916.

I3 SHEETSSHEET I2.

H. D. COLMAN.

WINDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 191 I. 1,1 84,077. Patented Ma y23,1916.

13 SHEETSSHEET l3.

o :BOBBIN T0 BOBBINX mil! I nini UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD D. COLMAN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HOWARD D. COLMAN, v

LUT R L. MILLER, annnaimr A. SEVERSON, COPARTNERS DOING BUSINESS as nammn-comaan COMPANY, or nocxroan, ILLINOIS.

WINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Continuation of application Serial 110 112105, filed June 21, 1902. This application filed September 18, 1911. Serial No. 649,080.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD D. COLMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Winders, of which the following is a specification.

In the operation of spinning fibers into yarn, the yarn is wound upon bobbins or the like, each bobbin containing a single thread. To produce a warp it is usual to rewind the yarn from the bobbins onto spools, each spool holding a single thread of a length equivalent to the quantity of yarn upon a plurality of bobbins,thethreads upon the successively unwound bobbins being tied end to end by the operatives. A sufficient number of spools are then rewound upon a section beam.

The object of this invention, generally stated, is to eliminate the spooling process, means being provided to rewind the yarn from the bobbins directly upon a section beam, and to automatically tie end to end {)he threads of the successively unwound bobins.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a winder embodying my invention, some of the parts of said winder being broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the central portion of said winder, the view being taken approximately in the plane of dotted line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical section taken approximately in the plane of dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detailview showing in side elevation a portion of the mechanism for transferring the reserve thread from the thread chain to the knotter-carriage,'the view being taken in the plane of dotted line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse, vertical section upon dotted line5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. '6 is an enlarged view of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 5, and is taken on the same section line'asFig. 5. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the knottercarriage and the surrounding mechanism, showing the position of the reserve thread upon said carriage, the carriage being shown in the position assumed when a reserve thread is being transferred from the thread chain to the carriage. Fig. 8 is a similar view, showing the reserve thread and an exhausted thread laid across the tying-bill in position to be united by the tying-mechanism. Fig. 9 is a transverse, vertical section on dotted line 9 9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on dotted line a of Fig. 9, and illustrates in front elevation two hooks supported by the knotter-carriage for holding the loop of the reserve thread. Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the driving carriage, also showing the pawl for locking the driving carriage with relation to the knotter carriage. Fig. 10 is a detail on dotted line a a of Fig. 10. Fig. 11 is a view of the same parts as are shown in Fig. 10, the position of said parts having been changed !by the separation of the knotter-carriage and the driving carriage. Fig. 12 is a detail view of the rear edge of the knotter-carriage, showing the means for actuating the feed for the thread chain, the view being taken in the plane of dotted line 1212 of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a transverse section on dotted line a. a of Fig. 12. .Fig. 13 illustrates the slidable rack bar for supporting the knock-ofl finger, and the means for moving said rack bar with reference to the knottercarriag'e upon which it is mounted, the view being taken in the plane of dotted line 13 of Fig. 9. Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the rack bar shown in the preceding figure, and said knock-0E finger. illustrates the mechanism for actuating the locking pawls, by means of which pawls the knotter-carriage is held from movement in either direction when the knot-tying mechanism is actuated, the view being taken in theplane of dotted line 15 of Fig. 8. Fig. 15" is a transverse section on dotted line a a of Fig. 15. 1 Fig. 16 is atransverse sectional view through a number of thebobbin boxes at the lower portion of the bobbin-box chain. Fig. 17 is a perspective view illustrating a section of the chain for arrying the ends of reserve threads, which threads are wound u'pon bobbins lying in the bobbin boxes illustrated in the last preceding figure. In Fig. 1 7 the position of a reserve thread upon the thread chain is shown. Fig. 18 is a. fragmental elevation of the thread chain to gether with the-means for opening the thread-holding tubes of said chain, showing one of said thread-holding tubes open to receive the loose end of a reserve thread.

Fig. 15

Fig. 18 is a transverse section on dotted line a a of Fig. 18. Fig. 19 is a fragmental rear elevation of the pivoted detector-stops that are swung outward upon their pivots when the active threads break or are wholly unwound from their bobbins, in' order to stop the carriage for the knot-tying mechanism, thus starting the operation that results in the tying together of the exhausted thread and the reserve thread supported upon said carriage. Fig. 20 is a fragmental view showing the guide comb for spacing the warp threads upon the section beam. Fig. 21 is a front end view of the guide sleeve for the thread chain, showing the thread-holding tube of one of the links of said chain in elevation, and illustrating the means for re-' moving the closure from the outer end of said holding tube. Fig. 22 is a longitudinal,

central section through a fragment of the thread chain, showing a thread-holdingtube, the closure for the outer end of said tube, and the spring for operating said closure. Fig. 22 is a traverse section through the thread chain or dotted line a a of Fig. 22, showing the thread-holding bracket in elevation. Fig. 23 is a fragmental view showing in transverse section the rear end of the detent lever that engages the ratchet teeth of one of the supporting wheels for the thread chain to prevent the backward rotation of said wheel, also illustrating the manner of engagement of said detent lever with the inclined teeth of said wheel. Fig. 24 is a view in side elevation of a rod for transferring a thread from the thread chain to the carriage for the knot-tying mechanism. Fig.'25 is a side elevation of theknot tying mechanism, the parts being in the position they are shown to occupy in the next succeeding figure. Fig. 26 is a top plan view of the knot-tying mechanism. Fig. 27 is a side elevation of the knot-tying mechanism, similar to Fig. 25 save that the elements of the thread clamp are closed together in a clamping position, and the knotter-shaft has been rotated somewhat. Fig. 28 is a top plan view of the knot-tying mechanism, showing the parts in the position which they occupy near the completion of the tying operation. Fig. 29 is a side elevation of the knot-tying mechanism, showing the parts in the positions in which they are represented in the last preceding figure. Fig. 30 is a side elevation of the knot-tying mechanism, taken from the side opposite to that shown in Figs. 25, 27 and 29. Fig. 31 is a vertical section taken on the axial line of the knotter-shaft. Figs. 32 and 33 are side elevations of the cam cylinder and the tying-bill. Fig. 34 is a top plan view of the gear-sector. Fig. 35 is a perspective view showing the tying bill in its initial position with threads in place to be acted upon by the knot-tying mechanism. Fig. 36 is a view similar to the last preceding figure, save that the tying-bill has been rotated through about one-fourth of a revolution. Fig. 37 illustrates the tying-bill after it has been rotated through one-half a revolution, also showing the thread clamp about to grasp the thread. Fig. 38 shows the tyingbill after three-quarters of a revolution, the thread clamp having clamped the thread and the shearing and clamping jaw being open to receive the thread. Fig. 39 shows the tying bill at the completion of its first revolution, the shearing and clamping jaw having clamped and severed the threads. Fig. 40 shows the tying-bill after having been rotated through about one and onequarter to one and one-third revolutions. The thread clamp represented in the act of stripping the thread from the point of the tying bill. Fig. 41 illustrates diagrammatically the form of knot tied by the mechanism. Fig. 42 is a front end view of the cam-cylinder of the knotter-mechanism. Fig. 43 is a detail view of the thread holding arm of said mechanism. Figs. 44, 45 and 46 are fragmental plan views illustrating different stages in the transference of a reserve thread to the knotter carriage. Fig. 47 is a view looking from the left-hand side of Fig. 46.

. In the production of a winder embodyirg the features of my invention, 1 provide a supporting frame 1 having the bed-plate 2 (Figs. 2 and 3). A drive shaft 3, rotatably supported in bearings 4 above the bed-plate 2, carries the usual tight and loose pulleys 5 and 6, respectively, and the pinion 7 fixed on said drive-shaft. A ,belt shifter 8, of usual construction, is provided to move the belt (not shown) from the loose to the tight pulley and vice versa. A main shaft 9 is also rotatably supported in bearings 10 mounted upon the bed-plate 2, and is driven by means of a gear wheel 11 which meshes with the pinion 7. From the shaft 9 power is transmitted through sprocket wheels 12 and 13 and a chain 14 to a shaft 15. On the shaft 15 is a friction driving drum 16 that rotates the section beam A, the latter being supported on the drum 16 by means of hooked arms 17. The threads are guided to the beam by a roll 18 which is carried by fixed arms 19 extending upwardly from the bed-plate 2; also by a comb 20 (Fig. 5) having a removable cap 21. The main shaft 9 has fixed thereon cams 23, 24 and 25, a wiper cam 26, an eccentric 27, (Fig. 3) and a bevel pinion 28, all to be hereinafter more fully described.

An upright standard 29 fixed on the bedplate 2 supports at its upper end a wheel 30 rotatably mounted on the stud 31 on said standard 29. The wheel 30 has several peripheral facetsin this instance ten-and in the middle of each facet is set a pin 32 to drive the thread chain to be hereinafter described. On one side, the wheel 30 is provided with a concentric series of pins 33 adapted to be engaged by a pawl to rotate the wheel- 30, and the opposite side of the wheel has a series of teeth 34 for engaging a detent arm to be later herein described.

An endless chain 35, (Figs. 1 and 16), made up of a series of pivotally connected plates 36, each plate supportinga bobbin box 37 fixed on the face of said plate, is mounted on the pulleys 38, which said pulleys are mounted upon the frame 39. These bobbin boxes 37 are sheet-metal boxes of rectangular form, having a hinged cover 40 with-a flat latch-spring 41 at one end of the box to hold the cover closed. Between the free end of the cover and the side of the box is a space 42 through whichthe thread upon the bobbin may be unwound. The lower one of the pulleys 38 is fixedwith relation to a chain wheel 43 (Fig. 1), and at some distance above the chain wheel 43 another similar wheel 44 is rotatably mounted on the frame 39. The chain wheels 43 and 44 are similar as to their peripheral form to the chain wheel 30, and are alined therewith to receive and support the thread chain 45. This thread chain is made up of a series of pivotally connectedlinks 46 (Fig. 17). Each link is provided with an opening 47 near its longitudinal center to receive the peripheral guide pins 32 of the wheels 30, 43 and 44 upon whichthe chain runs. Each link is also provided near one of its ends with an opening 48 across which extends a woven wire screen 49 (Fig. 18). The screen '49 is located at the inner end of a holding tube 50 secured in register with the opening 48. away to permit the operation of a closure 51 fixed on the end of an L-shape lever 52 pivotally mounted on the side of the holding tube 50 by means of the arms 52 and 52". This closure is held normally within the outer end of the holding tube 50 by means of a coiled spring 53 secured at one end within an opening 54 (Fig. 22) in said link 46 and connected at its outer end with the pin 55 extending from the outer endof the arm 52 of said -L-shape lever.. From the opposite side of the arm 52 extends a pin 56 arranged to be engaged by the mechanism for moving the closure 51 from the outer end of the holding tube 50 to open said tube to receive and release a thread, as will be later described herein. Upon one side the lever 52 is provided with a threadholding hook 57. About midway in the length of each link 46 of the thread chain a pin 58 is set, and .at one end and upon the; link is fixed a transverse outer face of each thread-holding bracket 59 for holding a loop of a reserve thread, which bracket is provided with the notches 60 and 60 in its The outer end of the tube 50 is cut opposite edges. A sleeve 35 (Figs. 1 and 3) to support and guide the thread chain where it extends above the path of the knotter is fixed in the supporting framework of the machine, the bottom of said sleeve being longitudinally slotted to permit the passage of the tubes 50 and the other parts projecting from the links of the chain. 'Between the sleeve-35 and the wheel 43, the chain is supported by a 'rail 35 (Fig. 1). A roller 35 prevents upward displacement of the chain.

To intermittently move the chain wheel 30 and cause the thread chain to be fed forward one link at a time, I provide a verti-' lever is pivotally connected with the rod 64 and yoke 65 of the eccentric 27 on the main shaft 9. This bell-crank lever is pivotally mounted in bearings 66 on the bedplate 2. The wiper cam 26 cooperates with said bell-crank lever in moving the pawl 61, the bearing periphery of said cam being adapted to contact the roller 67 pivotally mounted at the side of the arm 62 of the bell-crank lever and near the forward end of said arm. On account of some degree of springiness in the bell-crank lever 62--63, the cam 26 is provided to effect complete movement of the thread chain.

Two arms 68 (Figs. 3 and 5) are secured to the bed-plate 2 near one edge thereof, and

extend upwardly therefrom, and at their upper ends are connected by the guide-bar 69 having the raised dovetail guide 70 on its upper face and th'e'dovetail guide-groove 71 (Fig. 6) in its forward side. At the rear edge of the guide bar 69 are fixed two racks 72 and 73 (Figs. 2, 6 and 7) 'havinginclined teeth facing in opposite directions in the difi'erent racks.

Two carriages, to wit, the knotter-carriage 79 and the drive carriage 80, (Figs. 6 to 10) are adapted to bereciprocated upon the guide bar 69, the carriage 79 running upon the raised dovetail guide 70 and'the carriage 80 being fixed to a slide bar 81 of dovetail form in cross-section, lying within the guide-groove 71. To the slide bar 81 is fixed an arm 82 (Fig. 3) which is connected by means of a connecting rod 83 with a wrist-pin 84 on the face-plate 85, which face-plate is fixed on the end of the shaft lower edge, extends longitudinally of andabove the guide-bar 69 and is rigidly secured in place in the framework of'the machine. Partitions 90 (Figs. 1 and 5) extend forward and upward from the comb 88,

their purpose being to separate the threads mouth betweenv the comb 88 and the pivoted detector-stops, the purpose being to induce a strong current of air upward between the comb and the stops so that when the ten sion of any one of the threads passing through the comb is reduced through the exhaustion of the thread the loose end portion will be drawn upward into the air funnel (Fig. 6) and into engagement with the lower end of its corresponding detector- .stop, the pull of the thread upon said stop as the winding continues swinging the snap rearward upon its pivot. When the threa s pass regularly through the comb the ten- .sion upon each thread is suflicient to overcome the tendency of the air current to draw i the'threads or any of them into the air 35 funnel, but when a thread breaks at a point between the detector stops 91 and the bobbin boxes 37 or becomes exhausted and the tension is thus relieved, the loose end is immediately drawn upward into the funnel as just explained.

The carriages 79 and 80 normally move together to and fro upon the guide bar 69. The movement of the carriages away from the thread chain will be termed the outward movement, and the movement in the opposite direction will be called the return move ment. The tying operations occur during the outward movements of the carriages. An oscillatory locking shaft 97 (Figs. 7 and 10) is journaled upon and extends transversely of the carriage 79, and at its forward end said shaft carries a pawl 98 fixed thereon and adapted to engage a tooth 99 on the drive carriage 80 to hold said tooth against a projection 99 rigid with the knotter-carriage, thereby locking the two carriages to- ,gether during their normal reciprocatory movement. The rear end of the oscillatory shaft 97 carries the pawl 100 (Fig. 7) also fixed on said shaft, said pawl 100 being adapted to engage the teeth of the rack 73. An oscillatory shaft 101 (Fig. 11) extending parallel with the shaft 97, is mounted upon the knotter-carriage 79. The shaft 101 has fixed thereon a pawl 102 (Figs. 7 and 8) forward end of the oscillatory shaft 101 is fixed a trigger arm 104 (Figs. 8, 10, 11 and 15) adapted to be engaged by astud 105 extending from the side of the drive carriage 80, by means of which stud the pawl 102 is held out of engagement with the teeth of the rack 72 against the action of the coiled spring 103 when the carriages 79 and 80 are locked together. The shaft 101 also carries the bell-crank lever 106 (Fig. 15) loosely mounted upon said shaft, the upwardly extending arm 107 (Figs. 15, 7 and 8) of said bell-crank lever having a fixed pin 108 adapted to be engaged by a foot 109 extending downward from a slide plate 110 (Figs. 7, 8, and 9) movable upon the guide 111 (Fig. 15") with relation to the knotter-carriage 79. Pivotal movement of the bellcrank lever 106 in one direction is limited by contact of the arm 112 (Fig. 15) of said bell-crank lever with an overhanging stop 106. The arm 112 overlies a similar arm 113 fixed on the oscillatory shaft 97, and is adapted to rock said shaft97 to throw the pawl 100 into engagement with the teeth of the rack 73 and to raise the pawl 98 from engagement with the tooth 99 of the drive carriage 80 in order to separate the two carriages 79 and 80 to permit-the latter to move with relation to the former. \Vhen the carriages separate, the stud 105 is withdrawn from engagement with the trigger arm 10%. whereupon the shaft 101 is immediately rocked by its spring 1 3 to throw the pawl 102 into engagement with the rack 72. A

projection (Figs. 7 and 8) fixed upon the slide plate 110 extends into position to be engaged by any one of the detector-stops 91 when such stop is swung upon its pivot by an exhausted thread. The relative move- .11, 13 and 25) mounted in bearings 1H" upon the knotter carriage '79 and extending parallel with'the shaft 101, has a fork 115 fixed on its forward end, which fork is adapted to be engaged by a stud 110 on the drive carriage when said carriage is moved with relation to the knotter-carriage 79. The partial rotation of the knotter-actuating shaft 114 caused by the engagement of the stud 116 with the fork 115 during the separation of the knotted-carriage and the drive carriage actuates the knot-tying mechanism. At its rear end the knotter-actuating shaft 114 has a gear-sector 117 (Figs. 7. 8. and 13) fixed thereon, which sector meshes with the teeth of a rack bar 118 slidably mounted in a guideway 118, said rack bar carrying a knock-ofi' finger 119 (Figs. 9 and 14) the purpose of which finger will appear hereinafter. Intermediate its ends the knotter-actuating shaft-114 carries a gear-segment 120 (F igs.. 25 and 34) having a camgroove 121'somewhat of the form of the letter U with its arms widespread and extended outwardly a little distance at their ends. I

As hereinbefore explained, the separation of the knotter-carriage 7 9 and the drive carriage 80 causes the former to be looked upon its guide and the knot-tying mechanism carried by said carriage to be actuated. Upon the return movement of the drive carriage the stud 116' engages and rocks the fork and with it the knotter-actuating shaft 114, restoring the knot-tying mechanism to its initial position, the engagement of the stud 105 with the trigger arm 104 during such return movement of the driving carriage raising the pawl 102 from engagement with the rack 72. When the driving carriage 80 engages the projection 99 the knotter carriage 79' is moved, the pawl 100 being disengaged from the rack 73 by such movement of the knotter carriage and the pawl 98 consequently moved behind the tooth 99.

The knot-tying mechanism proper is supported on a bracket 122 (Fig. 25) having an integral sleeve'122. adapted to lie within one of the bearings 114 (Figs. 7 and 13), of the kno-tter-carriage 79 and to be held from movement therein by. a pinch-fit or many other suitable manner. The knotteractuating shaft 114 at its rear end has a bearing in said sleeve. A knotter-shaft 123 (Fig. 31) is rotatably mounted in theupper end of the bracket 122, said shaft having a skew-pinion 124 fixed thereon, the teeth of which pinion are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the segment 120, which latter teeth arealso skewed. The forward end of this shaft is bent substantially at a right angle with the body of the shaft, to form the tying-bill 125. This tying-bill tapers toward its end, and is bifurcated to provide on one'side a shear-edge 126 and on the other side a clamping edge 127. A shearing and clamping jaw 128, substantially of L- form and having a shearing edge and a clamping edge to correspond with the similar shearing edge and clamping edge of the tying-bil is pivotally mounted upon the pin 129 within the bifurcation in the tying-bill 125,. A cam-barrel 130 (Fig. 42), the interior conformation of which is somewha of heart-shape in cross-section, is fixed on t e bracket 122, the knotte'r-shaft passing through an opening 131 eccentric to the .outer cylindrical curvature of the cam-barrel. The rear end of the L-shape shearing and clamping jaw 128 (Fig. 31) is widened and lies within the cam-barrel 130, said jaw being opened and closed in the rotation of the tying-bill.

At one of its ends the bracket 122 carries a fixed bracket 132 (Fig. 27). A pintle 133 extends longitudinally through said bracket 132, and a hub 134 (Fig. 30) having two bell-crank arms 135 and 136 is mounted loosely on said pintle.- Qne of said arms (135) carries an antifrictlon roller 137 that lies within the cam-groove 121 of the gear segment 120. The other (136) of said arms carries the thread-clamping arm 138 (Fig. 27) having at its forward end the two upwardly extending spring clamping fingers 139. The thread-clamping arm is connected with the outer end of the arm 136 by means of the pivot pin- 140 passing through one end of said clamping arm andthe outer end of the arm 136, and the upwardly projecting end of this pin is made angular in form (Fig. 26) for a purpose to be later specified. A movement of the gear-segment 120 oscillates the hub 134 upon its pintle 133. I

A thread-holding arm 141. (Figs. 28 and 43) is loosely mounted by means of its integral ears 142 on the hub 134 and pintle 133 and has its outer portion 143 formed at an angle with the plane of its body portion. The forward end of the outer portion 143 of said thread-holding arm is substantially in hook form to receive the thread when the same is laid across the tying-bill by mechanism to be hereinafter described. It extends forwardly between the spring clamping fingers 139, which clamping fingers are moved during the operation of the'mechanism to clamp the threads between said clamping fingers and the book of the threadholding arm.

A spring 144 coiled about the hub 134 is attached at one end to the arm 136 and at the other end to the thread-holding arm 141,

and by its elasticity tends to hold said arms 3 136 and 141 apart. A stop-pin 145 fixed upon the bracket 122 limits the forward movement of the thread-holding arm 141. A spring latch 146 (Figs. 26 and 27) is pivotally mounted upon the -thread-holding 3 arm 141, which latch is adapted to engage the angular upper end of the pin 140, by which engagement the thread-holding arm 141'and the bell-crank arni 136 are locked together. The integral arm 147 of the'latch 146 also has a downwardly extending trigger-pin 148 (Fig. 31) which projects through an opening 149 (Fig. 43) in the arm 141 and is adapted to engage the delaystud 150 on the bracket 122.

the arm 141 through the medium of the trigger-pin 148. The integral arm 147 of the latch 146 is adapted to be engaged by a flat spring 151 (Fig. 28) to hold the latch The delay- 1 stud 150 limits the rearward movement of 146 in a position to engage said angular pin 140 said spring normally holding the pin 148 against one end wall of the opening 149. The form of the spring 151 is such that it is held in position without extraneous securing means. The body portion of said spring is bent over upon itself, forming a spring clamp 152 by means of which the spring is firmly held upon one end of the arm 141, the ears 153preventing vertical displacement of the spring. On the opposite side of the cam-barrel 130 from the thread-holding arm 141 is a thread-guide 154, (Figs. 7, 8 and 27), fixed to said cambarrel in any suitable manner. When the reserve thread and the exhausted thread are placed upon the knotter-carriage, the guide 154 holds said threads in proper position with relation to the tying-bill. The end of the reserve thread and the end of the exhausted thread to be joined together having been placed upon the knotter-carriage by mechanism to be hereinafter described, the operation of the knot-tying mechanism isas follows: The portions of the two ends lying side by side, extend across the knottershaft 123 directly under the point of the tying-bill 125 (see Figs. 8 and said threads also extending across the outer end 143 of the thread-holding arm 141. A movement of the knotter-carriage 79 with relation to the drive carriage causes the fork 115 on the knotter-actuating shaft 114 to be engaged by the stud 116 on the drive carriage, oscillating said shaft 114 and, through the gear-segment 120 and the pinion 124, rotating the knotter-shaft 123, the rotating tying-bill forming a loop inthe threads to be united. The movement just mentioned of the gear segment 120 also causes the clamping fingers 139 of the thread-clamping arm 138 tomove forward on the thread-holding arm 141 and to clamp said threads within the hooked forward end of said threadeholding arm, the arms 138 and 141 at the same time becoming locked together by means of the spring latch 146 and the pin 140. The clamping of the thread, however, is not done until the tyingbill has taken up suflicient slack to form the knot. Continuing rotation of the knottershaft 123 opens the shearingand clamping jaw 128 (as in Figs. 37 and 38) to receive the ends of the threads passing over the tying-bill to the thread-guide 154. Contlnued rotation of the knotter-shaft closes said shearing and clamping jaw to shear and clamp the ends of the threads. Durin the continuing rotation of the knotter-sha t the thread-holding arm 141, with the threads clamped within the hook at the forward end of said arm, swings outward upon its pivotal support, taking up the slack in the threads that is presented as the tying-bill turns toward the thread-holding arm, and,

as the knot is drawn off said bill by the am 141, said arm tightens the knot and pulls the short ends of the knot from the clamping jaws of the bill. At about this time the trigger-pin 148 of the spring latch 146 is brought into contact with the delay-stud 150, said latch is rocked upon its pivot against the action of the spring 151, and the engagement between the thread-holding arm 141 and the bell-crank arm 136 is broken. The spring 144 thereupon immediately separates the thread-holding arm from the bell-crank arm, said thread-holding arm be ing thrown forward to its normal position (Fig. 8) against the stop pin145 whereby the threads are released from the threadholding arm. After being sheared by the tying-bill, as hereinbefore described, the waste end of the exhausted thread is drawn upward into the air funnel 94 and the waste end of the reserve thread is drawn into a suction tube to be next described.

An arm 155 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) fixed at its lower end to the bed-plate 2 at the front edge thereof and extending upwardly from said bed-plate, carries at its upper end a fixed guide tube 156. Intermediate its ends and in its upper side this guide tube is slotted, as at 156 (Fig. 9) and said tube is surrounded by the slidable air tube 157, which latter tube is supported upon a bracket 158 fixed upon and movable with the slide bar 81 for the drive carriage. The fixed air tube 156 may be arranged to communicate at one end with the exhaust fan 96 in anysuitable way as by means of a tube 96 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The slidable air tube 157 has an upwardly-extending tubular stem 159 (Figs. 2, 3, and 9) on its upper side, which stem is provided with a slot 160 in its side toward the thread-joining mechanism, said slot extending downward and thence longitudinally in the walls of the air tube 157 and communicating with the slot 156 in the fixed air tube 156. The tubular stem 159 is rovided in its upper end with a wall 159 w ich acts as a guide to direct the loose end of a reserve thread into the'slot 160 when such thread is being transferred from the thread-chain to the knottercarriage 79.

At the forward edge of the slide plate 110 an oscillatory shaft 161 (Figs. 7 and 9) is mounted, and fixed upon said shaft is a cradle cam 162 having a cam-groove 163 in its peripheral face. The shaft 161 also carmes a rearwardly-extending arm 164 fixed at one end of said shaft, the outer end of which arm is bent at a right angle to the body portion thereof and extends parallel with the comb 20, said outer end resting during the tying operiition upon a rail 16 1" (Figs. 6 to 9) fixed with relation to the knotter-carriage 79. Normally, however, the arm 164 occupies the position shown in Fig. 5. At its outer end the a'rm'164 is provided with two barbed hooks 165 secured to opposite sides of said arm, in order to leave a space between said hooks for the passage ofthe knock-ofl' finger 119 mounted upon the slidable rack bar 118. A bracket 166 (Figs. 6, 9 and 10) fixed with relation to the knotter-carriage 79 carries a roller stud 167 adapted to lie within the cam-groove 163 in the peripheral face of the cradle cam 162. When the slide plate 110 moving with the. knotter-carriage 79 is engaged by one of the detector stops 91 (Fig. 8). the movement of the carriage continues for a little distance which relative movement between the siide plate'110 and the carriage 79 causes the drive carriage to be separated from the knotter-carriage and the latter to be locked in position on its guide beneath the exhausted thread. Before the knotter-carriage 79 comes to rest, the roller stud 167 on said carriage travels thE length of the cam-groove 163 in the cradl cam 162. The form of the cam-groove 163 is such that the arm 164 is first raised to permit its hooks 165 to engage the exhausted thread and then lowered to draw said thread downward beside the reserve thread that lies across the knotter-shaft just under the point of the tying-bill. The exhausted thread is released from the hooks of the arm 164 by the knock-01f finger 119 which is moved between said hooks when the rotation of the tying-bill begins by reason of its gear connection (Fig. 13) with the knotter-actuating shaft 114. The disengagement of the exhausted thread from the hooks 165 provides thread for the winding mechanism while the knot is being tied, so that the winding shall not be interrupted. The ends of the exhausted thread and the reserve thread that lie within the air tubes 94 and 156 remain within said tubes until the waste ends are severed. When said ends are severed by the knot-tying mechanism the waste end of the exhausted thread is drawn by the'air current upward through the air funnel 94 and removed, and the waste end of the reserve thread is drawn in a similar manner into the air tube 157 t hrough the slot 160 therein. An adjustable stop 168 (Figs. 7 and 9) supported in the machine frame automatically restores the slide plate 110 and the arm 164 to their normal positions upon the return movement of the carrla 'e. I

'Fhe end of a reserve thread is normally carried. uponthe knotter-carriage 79 in po sition to be tied to any exhausted thread. Said reserve thread. as it comes from its bobbin. extends beneath a hook 170 and is looped over a hook 169 both fixed on the carriage '79. (see Figs. 9 9 and 25). the free end of the thread running under a hook 171 upon said carriage to the slot 160 in the sliding air tube 157. A hook 175 (Figs. 7, 8, 9, 9 and 11) secured to the drive carriage is arranged to draw the reserve thread out of the hook 170 when the drive carriage and the knotter carriage separate. Intermediate the hook 171 and the slot 160, the reserve thread passes across the tines of a thread fork 172 (Figs. 7, 8 and 9) pivotally supported upon the knotter-carriage 79 in the bracket 173 and having a hooked arm,.174

-' extending at right angles to the stem of said fork. A'pin 172' (Fig. 9) fixed rig idly to and extending upwardly from said fork is intended to prevent the thread from getting at the wrong side of the fork 172 while the thread is being transferred from the tube 50 to the slot 160. A spring 176 (Fig. 9) surrounding the pivot for the fork 172 normally holds said fork against a stop pin 176 (Fig. 7). The hooked arm 174 is adapted to engage a stud 177 (Figs. 8 and 12) on a plate 178 mounted upon the rear side of the knotter-carriage 79 and having a sliding connection therewith by means of the elongated openings 179 and shoulder screws 180 extending therethrough. ,Near' the outer end of the path of movement of the carriages 79 and 80 is a thread fork 181 (Figs. 8 and 9) mounted upon a sleeve 182 which is slidably supported upon a rod 183 fixed in an arm 1840f the machine frame. The fork 181 is yieldingly held in the path of movement of the thread fork 172 by a coiled spring 185. The fork 181 and its supporting sleeve 182 are slidably mounted so that said fork may be moved against the action of said spring 185 by the reciprocating knotter carriage 79. a stud 186 on said sleeve being adapted to be engaged by a plate 187 (Fig. 9) fixed to said carriage. The fork 181 is held forward by the spring 185 so that said fork shall be in position to engage a reserve thread extending across the tines of the fork 172 (Figs. 8 and 9) and at the same time be yielding to the movement of the carriage inits travel. When no reserve thread lies across the fork 172, the fingers of said fork pass freely between the corresponding fingers of the similar fork 181, but when a reserve thread lies upon the knotter-carriage, passing over said fork 172, and the two forks 172 and 181 are brought together by the movement of the mechanism, the fork 172 is preveiited by the tension upon said thread from passing the fork 181, the fork arm 172 is rocked upon its pivot. and its hooked arm 174 is moved into position to engage the aii,'; ular stud 177. thereby preventing the feed for the. thread chain from operating as described later. If for anv reason the thread chain or the devices for transferring a thread from the chain to the knotte'r carriage have failed to place a thread upon the knotter carriage, or if the thread has been 

